The present invention relates to an interactive television information system and, more particularly, to an interactive information system that allows a user to view a sequential display of informational video segments and to actively respond to the informational segments by switching to related television services in a single step.
As communication technology continues to expand, individuals are faced with an ever increasing number of information sources. For example, many cable television services offer dozens of different channels from which a user can choose. Some available satellite systems claim to offer hundreds of channels and it is widely expected that cable services will expand in an effort to match or exceed this capability. Similar gains in the quantity of available programs and services are anticipated in areas of communication other than television.
This dramatic increase in the amount of available programs and services greatly increases the amount and type of information accessible to a user. One common form of information accessible to users is advertising or product promotion. For example, home shopping networks are television channels dedicated to displaying and advertising various products. Consumers can typically purchase desired products by calling a telephone number displayed with the product.
Television users are also provided product information through xe2x80x9cinfomercials.xe2x80x9d A typical infomercial provides information and promotional material about a specific product or product line for an extended period of time, typically for thirty minutes to an hour. Infomercials generally include interviews with satisfied customers and detailed examples of how to use the product. Again, a user can generally purchase desired products by calling or writing to a source identified in the infomercial.
A problem with these services is that a user can only passively watch information and cannot interactively respond to the informational messages. For example, a customer who desires to purchase a product displayed cannot do so through the television, but has to use a different communication medium, such as a telephone or a mail service. This process is inconvenient and prone to error in that the user may incorrectly record or miss the opportunity to record the telephone number or address, resulting in a lost opportunity to purchase the product.
The present invention provides an interactive television information system in which a user can immediately respond to informational messages without the need for another communication medium, such as a telephone or a mail service. The interactive television system provides informational messages that may prompt a user to select an associated action. If the action is selected, the system transfers control to another channel or service related to the informational message.
In one embodiment, an interactive information system is incorporated into a viewing system which includes a head end in two-way communication with a plurality of viewer stations. The viewer stations are operatively coupled to a controller and an input device, such as a remote control, for providing user commands to the controller.
The head end provides to the viewer stations a plurality of video segments, such as informational clips, that are sequentially displayed. Some of the video segments may be associated with other channels or services in the interactive viewing system. The user may launch the channel or service associated with a particular video segment by depressing a single button on the input device while that segment is being displayed. Upon launching a new channel or service, the system may automatically provide information associated with the user or the users selection to that channel or service.
The interactive information system can be used in a variety of applications. For example, the video segments may be product advertisements. In response to a user""s selection of an advertised product, the system may launch a service that allows the user to purchase the product. Additionally, the system may provide information (e.g., name of product, advertised price, user""s identification or credit card number, etc.) to the launched service to facilitate and simplify the purchase of the product.
The interactive information system may also be used for a variety of other purposes, such as market research, polling, voting, promoting programs on other channels and the like.
These features and others of the present invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description of an exemplary preferred embodiment which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.